Gun



Dec. 21, 1943. c. P. CAULKINS 2,337,309

GUN

Filed April 24. 1941 INVENTOR (kci Z Z (aaZkms ATTORN S Patented Dec. 21, 1943 UNITED ss Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in guns, and its object is to provide a simple combination of a gun having a barrel with a uniform outer surface and a projectile which has a projecting element telescopically fitting over the barrel of the gun and forming therewith an explosion chamber.

This invention is applicable to the type of gun which is used to shoot a carrier having a projecting arbor which fits the gun barrel and has an explosive charge affixed thereto, such as that shown in United States Patent No. 1,539,027, issued to Andrew J. Stone, May 26, 1925. Instead of providing the gun barrel with a uniform inner surface and making the projectile carrier arbor to fit therein, as shown in the aforesaid patent, I provide the gun barrel with a uniform outer surface and fit the arbor over it, thereby utilizing the entire length of the gun barrel as an explosion chamber and adding thereto gradually, as the projectile is shot, the volume of the inside of the arbor.

I will describe my invention in the following specification and point out the novel features thereof in appended claims.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section of a Y gun and a projectile which are made according to and embody my invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating a modified form of apparatus which also embodies this invention;

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional elevation of another structural modification;

l0 designates a casing which forms an explosion chamber. II is a pedestal upon which the casing I0 is mounted and l2, l2 designate two barrels projecting from the casing and welded thereto at 13. The outer surfaces of these barrels are of uniform diameter and are smooth. It is not necessary to finish their bores.

The projectile comprises a hollow cylindrical arbor 30 closed at its outer end by a head 3| to which is secured a bomb or depth charge 32. The inner surface of the arbor is smooth and fits telescopically over a barrel I 2.

When gas is injected into the explosion chamber under high pressure, as by the firing of a cartridge, the projectile is shot from the barrel. As the arbor moves along the barrel its volume is added to that of the barrel, thus resulting in longer periods of time during which the projectile is propelled by the gun itself and reducing the muzzle blast. Some of the high pressure gas within the projectile carrier arbor will be expelled rearwardly therefrom after the arbor has left the barrel, thus adding to the propulsion of the projectile.

This invention may be used with a gun having a sleeve slidably mounted on its barrel to form an extension of the barrel, as shown in my application for United States Patent, Serial No. 340,459, filed June 14, 1940, and such a combination is shown in Fig. 2. In the latter figure, 2i] designates a sleeve slidably mounted on the outside of the gun barrel l2. Its inner end is reinforced by a collar 2| and its outer end is thickened to overlap, as at 22, the muzzle of the barrel. Means are provided for limiting the outward movement of the sleeve on the barrel, such' as a cable 25, connected to the casing l0 and to the collar 2!. In this case the projectile carrier arbor 30A fits over the outside of the sleeve 20.

It is obvious that upon firing the volume of that part of sleeve 20 which extends beyond the barrel is added to the volume of the gun barrel itself as well as to the volume of interior of the arbor 30A. This condition is shown graphically in Fig. 2 by dotted lines.

If desired, the arbor may be made smaller and fitted within the barrel, as shown at 303 in Fig. 3. In this case it is desirable to form a muzzle ring 22A on the outer end of the sleeve having an inner diameter which corresponds to the bore of the barrel to form a bearing for the arbor 30B and to chamfer the inner end of the muzzle ring to form an annular gas pocket 23.

The operation of this embodiment of the invention is similar to that of the form shown in Fig. 2.

Other modifications than those shown and described may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention and I intend no limitations other than those imposed by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A gun barrel having a cylindrical outer surface and a sleeve on the barrel slidably mounted on said surface combined with a projectile having a hollow arbor open at its inner end and closed at its outer end, said arbor being slidably mounted on the sleeve.

2. A gun barrel having a cylindrical outer surface and a sleeve on the barrel slidably mounted on said surface combined with a projectile having a hollow arbor open at its inner end, a bomb carrying head closing the outer end of the arbor, said arbor extending from the head and being slidably mounted on the sleeve.

3. A gun barrel having a cylindrical outer surface and a sleeve on the barrel slidably mounted on said surface, said sleeve having a muzzle ring with an internal diameter substantially the same as the bore of the gun barrel combined with a projectile having a hollow arbor fitting the bore of the gun barrel and the muzzle ring, said arbor being closed at its outer end and open at its inner end.

4. A gun barrel having a cylindrical outer surface and a sleeve on the barrel slidably mounted on said surface, said sleeve having a muzzle ring with an internal diameter substantially the same as the bore of the gun barrel combined with a projectile having a hollow arbor fitting the bore of the gun barrel and the muzzle ring, a bomb carrying head closing the outer end of the arbor,

said arbor extending from the head and being open at its inner end.

5. A gun barrel having a cylindrical outer surface, a sleeve on the barrel slidably mounted on said surface, said sleeve having a muzzle ring with an internal diameter substantially the same as the bore of the gun barrel, and means for limiting the outward movement of the sleeve to retain the sleeve on the gun barrel combined with a projectile having a hollow arbor fitting the bore of the gun barrel and the muzzle ring, a .bomb carrying head closing the outer end of the arbor, said arbor extending from the head and being open at its inner end.

CECIL P. CAULKINS. 

